


Truly Immortal

by Silentx13



Series: Silmarillion One Shots [27]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:22:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22415437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silentx13/pseuds/Silentx13
Summary: Celegorm, Caranthir, and Curufin find an elf who may be able to help them on their quest to destroy Melkor and reclaim the Silmarils.
Series: Silmarillion One Shots [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1329459
Kudos: 4





	Truly Immortal

The hooded figure walked silently keeping his head down and stayed close to the edge of the road. His walk did slow a bit as he heard footsteps on the ground but he continued on walking. Ignoring the orcs that stormed on the path in front of him. He just stepped around them only stopping as one of them grabbed his cloak and yanked him back. He let himself be pulled as the orcs surrounded him.

“Ha! An easy target! We’ll eat well tonight boys!” One of them boasted as he drew a long sword and swung it at his head. The figure merely moved back out of the swing of the weapon and then stepped backward.

“I recommend you let me go,” The figure said in a low slightly raspy voice. The orc just growled and moved to attack again and the orcs behind him grabbed at his upper arms. Yet, he ducked low and moved away causing the orc to cut through two of the others there.

“KILL HIM!” The head orc roared. The other orcs pulled out their swords and clubs and charged at him. He just moved back and dodged the weapons keeping his arms at his side as he moved quickly dodging each attack. He moved backward and then sidestepped as he heard a growl from behind him. A large white wolfhound came bounding down the path and leaped into the group of orcs. Followed behind the large wolfhound were two elves who each rode a horse. One had light blond hair that was almost silver and the other had black hair.

He moved back as he let the elves fight off the orcs. The two were clearly warriors and skilled at that and the white wolfhound helped them easily. He kept his hood low as he watched but he saw one of the orcs who had been the first one attacked stand up. The orc notched an arrow into a bow and aimed it at the head of one of the two elves. They both were too occupied along with the wolfhound to notice the coming attack. He cursed himself silently before he ran in front of the elf letting the arrow hit him in the shoulder. He winced a bit but straightened up and pulled the arrow out. He dropped the arrow and then looked at the orc who fired again right at him. He didn’t flinch as he caught the next arrow and dropped it to the ground. The elf who he saved turned and fired a killing shot at the orc. He turned just as the other two finished off the remaining orcs.

“I guess I should say thank you,” The one who he saved said.

“You helped me. I repaid you,” He replied shortly before he started to walk past them. He heard the hound give a few barks and the same elf said, “Wait! The arrow you shot with was poisoned.” 

“I’m fine,” He replied stopping looking at his arm. “It’s nothing.”

“Orc poison isn’t anything to mess with.” The same elf said. He then reached out to grab at his arm. The figure pulled back quickly and turned on the elf.

“Don’t touch me!” He said almost with a growl.

“Whoa! Calm down we are only trying to be helpful,” The elf said.

“For once,” The other elf said earning a glare from his blond-haired companion.

“I am Celegorm. This is Huan and brother Caranthir, we can help you.” He said gesturing to the elf behind who gave a short wave.

“I’m fine...just get away from me,” He said taking a few steps away from them. He then looked up as another black-haired elf rode up to them and looked around.

“Looks like you two made a mess of things,” He commented.

“Didn’t see you here helping,” Celegorm said.

“I am sorry but I was busy,” He replied.

“Being an idiot,” Celegorm replied.

“Oh shut up! Who’s he?” The new elf asked. Celegorm and Caranthir then turned to him.

He sighed a bit and said, “Nuhuinon,”

“I am Curufin and it seems you met my brothers,” He said gesturing to the other two elves.

“Right. I have to go now.” Nuhuinon said as he turned around and started to walk away but moved to the side quickly as Celegorm reached for his arm once more.

“Do. Not. Touch. Me.” He hissed once more at the elf.

“Calm down. He’s just trying to help you, what’s got you so worked up?” Curufin asked.

“Nothing. Just stay away from me,” He replied.

“We saved you, I think we earned a right to know. Since we could have let those orcs just kill you,” Celegorm said.

Nuhuinon gave a short laugh bitter sounding laugh. He looked towards the sky and gave a soft sigh, “if only they could have...” He muttered softly.

“What? You want to die?” Curufin asked catching the words.

“I crave the release death has,” He replied.

“Then that poison will be killing you,” Celegorm said looking at the elf with a strange expression.

“If only it could,” He said softly.

“What do you mean? Just who are you?” Caranthir asked as he took a few steps forward.

“I’m no one, just a shadow,” Nuhuinon said as he looked at Caranthir. “A shadow and a monster.” 

“A monster? Listened we helped out, I think we are owed at least a small explanation.” Caranthir said folding his arms.

Nuhuinon sighed and shook his head. He once again cursed himself softly before he looked at the tree elves. “Fine. Follow me,” He said.

With that, he turned and led the group down the road. It took them a few moments to reach a very small campsite that was set up by the river. Yet, at first glance, it didn’t seem like a campsite it blended into surrounding trees and leaves. Nuhuinon sat down by a tree and when his cloak moved the brothers did see that he did have a sword at his side. As well as his clothes were just as black as his cloak was. Yet, he still kept the hood hiding half his face as he looked at them as they sat down.

“You could have saved yourself all this time?” Celegorm asked as Huan joined him where he sat.

“In a sense...yes.” He replied. “Yet, I pick my battles carefully...especially against orcs.”

“Why they are just monsters, they only deserve death,” Curufin said.

“Tell me. Do you know how orcs first came to be?” Nuhuinon asked.

“They came from elves, Morgoth twisted them into horrible creatures,” Caranthir said.

“Right. Not long after the elves first awoke here he sent his creatures after them. They were taken to his first fortress. Where things of darkness that are now even forgotten...dark things that took on minds and wills of their own. There he formed them into orcs doing things that will forever be seared into my memories.” He said speaking a full paragraph since they first met him instead of his short few word sentences.

“Wait. You were there?” Celegorm asked.

“Yes. I was there. I saw the love of my life tortured and die slowly. As well as my best friend slowly be twisted into an orc.” He said. “So. When I see an orc I see the face of my friend. When I do have to kill them...I feel almost as if I killed him again.”

“You killed him?” Curufin asked.

“The part of his mind that still had some humanity asked me to. So I granted that wish.” He said.

The brothers were quiet for a few moments. Then Celegorm looked at him and asked, “Wait. As sad as that story is to hear, what does that have to do with you not wanting our help with the poison?”

“As well as you freaking out when my brother was going to grab your arm,” Curufin added.

Nuhuinon shook his head muttering something quietly to himself before he looked at them. “I did say his fortress held dark things. Things that took on a mind and will of their own,” He said.

“What about them?” Curufin asked.

Nuhuinon looked at him but when he opened his mouth he closed it. He shifted a bit and pulled off one of the gloves that covered his hand. His hands were scarred and when he picked up a single leaf the brothers watched in shock as it slowly decayed and withered in his hand. After he let the dead leaves fall to the ground and easily crumbled to nothing he slipped his glove on his hand carefully. “My attempted escape didn’t go as planned, I made a wrong turn and I ran into one of those dark creatures. I tried to get away from it but I failed...I am now this.” He explained.

The brothers were quiet and looked at each other before they looked back at Nuhuinon who sat there silently. “So...everything you touch...dies?” Asked Caranthir.

“Anything and everything,” Nuhuinon said.

“What about your gloves?” He asked.

“Anything I own won’t wither,” Nuhuinon replied turning back to his short sentence. The brothers nodded and all were quiet before Curufin looked up after a moment.

“So. To be clear, anything you touch will die or decay at least?” Curufin asked.

“Yes,” He replied.

“Even something that’s immortal?” Curufin asked.

“Yes,” Nuhuinon answered.

“Then what will happen if you are able to touch Morgoth?” Curufin asked.

Nuhuinon looked at him before he was quiet for a long time. He closed his eyes and leaned back for a few moments and then said, “His physical body will be destroyed.”

“What about his spirit?” Caranthir asked seeing where his brother was going with the questions.

“I don’t know, I have to have physical contact for it to happen.” He answered.

Curufin nodded and stood up and said, “Then will you help us destroy Morgoth? He stole something very important to us and killed our grandfather.”

Nuhuinon was quiet for another long stretch of time before he stood up and said, “Very well. I will help you with this,”

Curufin nodded and held out his hand to Nuhuinon yet he remembered what the elf could do before he pulled his hand away. Yet, before they got up Caranthir looked up and asked, “Wait. You didn’t explain about poison from the arrow and about you wish they could have killed you. What about those?”

“I can not die,” Nuhuinon said. “If poison enters my blood it fades, a sword touches my skin it will rust. I can not starve to death and I have found nothing that will kill me. Even by my own hand death will not come. My life was destroyed my wife killed, my closets died by my hand, memories of things far darker than anything you can imagine are forever seared into my mind. So yes, I wish to die for I now only live in darkness. I want my pain to end.”

“If you are able to help us take on Morgoth. We’ll find some way to help you,” Celegorm said looking at his brothers who nodded in agreement.

Nuhuinon nodded and stood up. “Alright then. I will do my best to help you.”

“Good, now come on we should get back home and tell the others,” Curufin said. Nuhuinon nodded shortly and gathered a few things from the campsite before he followed the group up the path back to where the horses where. They mounted and they rode slowly as Nuhuinon followed them in silence. As he walked he felt a feeling he hadn’t felt in ages. Hope. Hope that he’ll be able to have revenge for those who he lost. Hope that his pain will soon end as well as prevent others from falling to pain. Since, when he looked at these elves he saw shadows hanging about them. So, he’ll do everything he can to save them from the pain that they may be destined to. As well as maybe finally end his own pain. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this one-shot.   
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated.


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